Spatial configuration of seagrass community attributes in a stressed coastal lagoon, southeastern Gulf of Mexico

Cuevas, Eduardo; Uribe-Martínez, Abigail; Morales-Ojeda, Sara M.; Gómez-Ruíz, Pilar Angélica; Núñez-Lara, Enrique; Teutli-Hernández, Claudia; Herrera-Silveira, Jorge A.

doi:10.1016/j.rsma.2021.102049

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Another study limitation is that pixels represented seagrass presence, not density, and that fragmentation and aggregation implied simple expansion or contraction of binary seagrass patches (detected with a cutoff related to the strength of seagrass spectral response; Cuevas et al., 2021; Lyons et al., 2012). However, future studies could instead incorporate analysis of densities by applying bio‐optical algorithms to predict density from greenness (Dierssen et al., 2003; Hill et al., 2014; Lebrasse et al., 2022) or by implementing more detailed ground truthing targeting different percent cover and discretely designating them as classes for training and classification (Martin et al., 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Robust measures for assessing spatial change in seagrass meadows include quantifying changes in seascape metrics (the marine equivalent to terrestrial landscapes metrics, Table S1). For example, studies that used seascape metrics have identified mechanisms of losses from time series analysis of patch configuration (Kaufman & Bell, 2022), linked seagrass seascape configuration and complexity to conservation and environmental changes (Arellano‐Méndez et al., 2019), and linked facilitation processes, habitat connectivity and aggregation of seagrass patches (Cuevas et al., 2021). Analyzing seascape metrics could therefore increase sensitivity to detect impacts from extreme events, enable fine‐scale detection of changes associated with environmental stressors, and provide better ecological understanding of seagrass dynamics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The vulnerability and resilience of seagrass ecosystems to marine heatwaves in New Zealand: a remote sensing analysis of seascape metrics using PlanetScope imagery

Clemente

Thomsen

Zimmerman

2023

Remote Sens Ecol Conserv

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Seagrasses are foundation species that provide ecosystem functions and services, including increased biodiversity, sediment retention, carbon sequestration, and fish nursery habitat. However, anthropogenic stressors that reduce water quality, impose large‐scale climate changes, and amplify weather patterns, such as marine heatwaves, are altering seagrass meadow configurations. Quantifying large‐scale trends in seagrass distributions will help evaluate the impacts of climate drivers on their functions and services. Here, we quantified spatiotemporal dynamics in abundances and configurations of intertidal and shallow subtidal seagrass (Zostera muelleri) meadows in 20 New Zealand (NZ) estuaries that span a 5‐year period (mid/late 2016–early 2022) just before, during and after the Tasman Sea 2017/18 marine heatwave, the warmest summer ever recorded in NZ. We used high‐resolution PlanetScope satellite imagery to map interseasonal seagrass extent and quantify seascape metrics across 20 estuaries along a latitudinal gradient spanning 12° in NZ. We also explored the association of changes in seagrass metrics with satellite‐derived predictors such as sea surface temperature (SST), SST anomaly (SSTa), water column turbidity, and nutrient concentration. Our analyses revealed that NZ seagrass meadows varied in areal extent between years and seasons, but with no clear patterns over the 5‐year period, implying resilience to large‐scale stressors like the 2017/18 marine heatwave. Small‐scale patterns were also dynamic, for example, patch sizes and patch configurations differed across estuaries, seasons, and years. Furthermore, seagrass patches expanded in some estuaries with increasing SST and SSTa. These results highlight dynamic seagrass patterns that likely affect local processes such as biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Our analyses demonstrate that a combination of high‐resolution satellite remote sensing and seascape metrics is an efficient and novel approach to detect impacts from anthropogenic stressors, like eutrophication and climate changes, and climate extremes like cyclones and heatwaves.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The vulnerability and resilience of seagrass ecosystems to marine heatwaves in New Zealand: a remote sensing analysis of seascape metrics using PlanetScope imagery

Clemente

Thomsen

Zimmerman

2023

Remote Sens Ecol Conserv

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“…However, being a first-time analysis of the seagrass fragmentation in the Zanzibar meadows, there is no immediate reference to compare with, or to determine if changes have occurred. Yet, because of the many disturbances affecting the seagrasses in the WIO and Zanzibar, in particular [20,27,28], climate change [18,107], and the increasing interest in blue carbon trapping [108,109], the mapping and seascape structure analysis of the seagrass habitats can be readily applied in order to gauge the functionality and integrity of seagrass meadows and prioritize conservation measures [110].…”

Section: Patchiness Of Seagrass Distributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drone-Based Characterization of Seagrass Habitats in the Tropical Waters of Zanzibar

et al. 2022

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Unmanned automatic systems (UAS) are increasingly being applied as an alternative to more costly time-consuming traditional methods for mapping and monitoring marine shallow-water ecosystems. Here, we demonstrate the utility of combining aerial drones with in situ imagery to characterize the habitat conditions of nine shallow-water seagrass-dominated areas on Unguja Island, Zanzibar. We applied object-based image analysis and a maximum likelihood algorithm on the drone images to derive habitat cover maps and important seagrass habitat parameters: the habitat composition; the seagrass species; the horizontal- and depth-percent covers, and the seascape fragmentation. We mapped nine sites covering 724 ha, categorized into seagrasses (55%), bare sediment (31%), corals (9%), and macroalgae (5%). An average of six seagrass species were found, and 20% of the nine sites were categorized as “dense cover” (40–70%). We achieved high map accuracy for the habitat types (87%), seagrass (80%), and seagrass species (76%). In all nine sites, we observed clear decreases in the seagrass covers with depths ranging from 30% at 1–2 m, to 1.6% at a 4–5 m depth. The depth dependency varied significantly among the seagrass species. Areas associated with low seagrass cover also had a more fragmented distribution pattern, with scattered seagrass populations. The seagrass cover was correlated negatively (r2 = 0.9, p < 0.01) with sea urchins. A multivariate analysis of the similarity (ANOSIM) of the biotic features, derived from the drone and in situ data, suggested that the nine sites could be organized into three significantly different coastal habitat types. This study demonstrates the high robustness of drones for characterizing complex seagrass habitat conditions in tropical waters. We recommend adopting drones, combined with in situ photos, for establishing a suite of important data relevant for marine ecosystem monitoring in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO).

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Spatiotemporal Configuration of Hydrographic Variability in Terminos Lagoon: Implications for Fish Distribution

Paz-Ríos

Sosa-López

Torres‐Rojas

2023

Estuaries and Coasts

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Spatial configuration of seagrass community attributes in a stressed coastal lagoon, southeastern Gulf of Mexico

Cited by 5 publications

References 63 publications

The vulnerability and resilience of seagrass ecosystems to marine heatwaves in New Zealand: a remote sensing analysis of seascape metrics using PlanetScope imagery

The vulnerability and resilience of seagrass ecosystems to marine heatwaves in New Zealand: a remote sensing analysis of seascape metrics using PlanetScope imagery

Drone-Based Characterization of Seagrass Habitats in the Tropical Waters of Zanzibar

Spatiotemporal Configuration of Hydrographic Variability in Terminos Lagoon: Implications for Fish Distribution

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